


Givens Runs the Show

by SohlOrchid



Category: Justified
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-02
Updated: 2014-03-02
Packaged: 2018-01-14 08:22:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1259482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SohlOrchid/pseuds/SohlOrchid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim needs some comfort after a bad day at work.  One-shot for now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Givens Runs the Show

**Author's Note:**

> Tim needs a little bit of TLC after a bad day at work. And who better to give it than Raylan's little sister, Salem?

The truck was in the drive when Salem pulled in behind it. Her own beat up Ford rumbled and hissed for a long moment as she collected her thoughts under the pretense of collecting her gear. When everything was stuffed into her shoulder bag and she could feign no longer Salem cut the engine and swung open the door. Her boots thudded as they hit the concrete and carried her to the door.

The house was not silent as she slipped in. The television was going. As was the radio the kitchen. And probably the matching set upstairs. Dropping her bag by the entryway table, she glanced around. Nearly every light was switched on, and a faucet was running somewhere.

Salem conducted a brief search. She swept through the living room and kitchen, checked the garage, and then found Tim on the back porch. His fingers were curled loosely around a beer, the latest of several bottles scattered around his feet. His gaze was distant to the trees creeping up the back of the property. In the light spilling out of the house he looked haggard and ages older. Especially with his angular face pinched into an expression of resigned fury.

Salem leaned on the door frame leading into his zone, planting herself half inside the kitchen and half into the cool night. She crossed her arms and watched him. In times like this it was best to let him make the first move.

She witnessed the moment he gave in. His shoulders slumped. He inhaled a deep sigh, and his face rolled in her direction. "Raylan call you?" he asked, blue eyes dark in the night.

She nodded, stepping over to the chair matching his. It was a wooden piece of furniture left behind by the last owner. It had been mended several times, by both him and her, but it had still been painted green every time. And despite it not being all that comfortable, Salem's body was intimately familiar with its planks and curves and creaks.

"Said you decked an FBI boss," she answered.

Tim heaved another sigh then leaned forward and plucked a beer from the pack at his feet and held it out to her. "Yeah. He fucked up."

Salem accepted the drink and popped the cap. "He said that, too. Said he was worried it was you 'til he got here."

This time Tim snorted. "Barely had time to draw my pistol."

The news was not entirely surprising to Salem. She was long familiar with Tim's involvement in high stress situations. The man had been a Ranger for Christ's sake. It wasn't all that alarming for her to hear about shootouts and deaths. She was familiar with them herself. But it could have been Tim. It might have been him if he and the FBI sniper had decided differently on one tiny variable.

Sighing herself, Salem twirled the beer in her fingers then took a long gulp. It wasn't ice cold like she preferred and the bottle was sweating, but it wasn't exactly warm either so it would have to do.

She looked up when she felt Tim's weighted gaze settle on her. He had the most intense pair of eyes she'd ever seen. Sometimes they were cold and flat and focused to a razor's edge. Other times, like now, they seemed to peel back her layers and read her like the words she wrote. It was as if he was waiting for her to ask. But Salem didn't know what she was supposed to be asking.

Ask him to quit? To at least be more careful? Maybe not volunteer for the government SWAT teams that assembled to take down extremely violent criminals?

She wouldn't ask. It wasn't in his DNA to quit and it wasn't in hers either. They had long ago decided that they were hopelessly damaged adrenaline junkies created from Afghanistan.

Instead, Salem rose up from her seat and crossed over to Tim. She pivoted on her heel then settled down on his lap. He wrapped an arm around her waist as she leaned back against his chest. His chin settled on her shoulder.

"You want me to make his life a living hell?" she asked quietly then sipped her beer again.

"You'd do that?" and damn if she didn't feel his voice more than hear it as it rumbled in his chest and ghosted over her neck.

"For you?" Salem teased. Then honestly, "Anything."

Tim hummed and pressed a kiss to her clothed shoulder. "I've got two weeks suspension to help."

She grinned. "Poor man won't know what hit him."

"He doesn't deserve a badge."

The accusations to send to the FBI were already formulating in Salem's head. They'd keep an Internal Affairs team busy for weeks, and the FBI boss on suspension for even longer than Tim.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic ever posted. I would appreciate it if you read and review. Thank you much!


End file.
